Debunking The Myth That Black Fraternity/Sorority Stepping And Strolling Came From South African Boot Dancing

Edited by Azizi Powell

Latest revision - April 25, 2023

This pancocojams post is part of an ongoing pancocojams series on the history of and influences upon Black Greek letter fraternity and sorority strolling (strolls). 

This post presents information about African American dances, military experiences, and other cultural influences on historically Black Greek letter stepping and strolling.

This information and comments are presented as a means of helping to refute the widely held errroneous belief that historically Black Greek letter fraternity and sorority completely or mainly came from South African Gumboot dancing.  

The content of this post is presented for historical and cultural purposes.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to all those who are quoted in this post.
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Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2015/04/reflections-on-history-meanings-of.html for the 2015 pancocojams post entitled "Reflections On The History & Meanings Of African Americans Walk Arounds - From Andrew Antonio Allen In "The History Of [Chicago] Stepping Project"

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AFRICAN AMERICAN CULTURAL INFLUENCES ON HISTORICALLY BLACK GREEK LETTER STEPPING AND STROLLING 

Pancocojams Editor's Note: I believe that the information and comments about the history of and sources for stepping that are included in this post can also be considered to be part of the history of and sources for what are now referred to as "party walks" and "strolls". 

COMPLETE REPRINT 
From https://www.ba1935.com/history-of-stepping  [retrieved April 7, 2022]
"The History of Stepping according to the Temple of Blue

The Genesis

It began with singing or chanting associated with the process of crossing the burning sands. Brothers would gather in the quad and sing and chant. They eventually graduated to dancing and from there stepping. For some time, some yards down south would call the step-off a "Sing" instead of a "Step-show".  We don't think that any one fraternity can lay claim to stepping, more than likely it evolved a number situations and circumstances. One fact that is evident is the early origins of stepping stem from members of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc.  The results of which was the Inter-Fraternity Conference of 1922 in Washington, D.C. In between sessions and even during social events it is believed that stepping, in a sense, was done for the men of Sigma to strut their stuff, most likely to impress the ladies. This could have been by singing, chanting, marching or standing in groups. It is not exactly clear, but it is known that sororities didn't start stepping until several years after the fraternities.

Other elements of stepping formed after the return of brothers from World War II. Various elements of military marching and line formations were implemented into fraternities with the end of the war and the advent of peacetime. These, along with the founders influence, are some of the origins for the use of the cane by Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc. in many regions. To this day the military influence as well as Masonic influences can still be seen in the step process as well as the pledge process of most Black Greek Lettered Organizations. It is through these and many other factors that stepping began to become an intimate part of Black Greek Lettered Organizations.

For Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, in many regions, canes were used due, in part, to the influence of the founders, but for the most part by the military drill sergeants who were members. In the late 40's and early 50's, for the purpose of identification, many black drill sergeants carried canes. These canes allowed other black soldiers to identify with their rank, which was necessary on many bases where racism was prevalent. Of course there were some drill sergeants that were members of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc.

Stepping evolved with groups of guys singing acapella, and when groups like the Temptations and the Four Tops were popular in the 50's and 60's brothers started mimicking their steps. This is part of the reason why it is called "Stepping" now. Brothers would try to come up with the best steps while they were singing to please the ladies. If you got the ladies you got more recruits. Much like it is today.

Others say that stepping replaced the doo woop sounds and cardigan sweaters of the 50's. At around the same time as the "Black Power" Movements and Africa centered movements of the 60's, stepping started to flourish with the incorporation of some traditional African ritual dancing and the incorporation of other elements like cheer leading, tap, gymnastics, etc. Over the years stepping has become very intricate and demanding incorporating props, high levels of gymnastics and other elements found in team sports. Please note that some people want to give the credit to the South African Boot Dance, but it would be unfair to ignore everything that stepping was in the beginning and it is now."

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Pancocojams Editor's Note: These excerpts are numbered for referencing purposes only.

EXCERPT #1: Elizabeth C. Fine, editor SoulStepping: African American Step Shows (University of Illinois Press, 2003)

Pages 15-16

“The earliest written reference to what might be stepping appears in the 25 November 1925 [Howard University] student newspaper The Hilltop. In an article entitled “Hell-Week”, Van Taylor described pledging activities of Omega Psi Phi and Kappa Alpha Psi fraternities;”What desire is this is that will cause young men, stalwart of frame and rugged of heart and mind, demurely and aesthetically to dance about the campus as if in time to the fairy Pipes of Pan?”…

Within eighteen years of the formation of the first black Greek-letter society, a public ritual dance associated with pledging had developed.

Van Taylor’s description of dancing young fraternity men may also be an account of the ritual performance of group identity called “marching on line,” from which stepping evolved. During the pledge period, pledges ("probates”) demonstrate their newfound brotherhood or sisterhood by walking together across campus, all wearing their group’s colors, and symbols and cultivating the same style, and movement...

Pledging rituals photographed during the 1940s and 1950s reveal the linear formations of pledges marching on line."

P. 18

"The visual record of probates on line increased dramatically in the [Howard University yearbook] Bison during the 1950s. and marching on line often involved singing or chanting and syncopated and synchronized movements...

In contrast to the linear patterns in photographs from the previous two decades, the circle was the most commonly photographed pattern in both singing and stepping rituals during the 1960s. During that decade, twenty-four photographs in the Bison revealed some type of singing or stepping. Fifteen were of groups in circles, with eight of these showing circular movement. Six of the eight indicated counterclockwise motion. Prevalent in African dance, the counterclockwise pattern seen in early step routines reflects the influence of African culture. Such patterns echo the circular, counter clockwise pattern of the ring shout and pattin juba, early African American dance (chapter 2)."

Page 19

"The first photographs of a formalized indoor stepping program called “Greek Weekend” appeared in the 1965 Bison.”...

But in 1974, for the first time, the Bison contained one page of photographs of an indoor step show with the heading “Greek Demonstration”."

Pages 83-84

"The characteristic clapping and stomping movements of stepping have their earliest counterparts in African American dances that emerged during slavery. Pattin juba, perhaps the best known of these dances, may have originated in an African dance called guiouba and grown in popularity after slaveholders outlawed drums for fear they would be used to communicate revolts...

The juba dance was done in a counterclockwise circle with "both the words and the steps" in call-and-response form. It involved improvisation, the shuffle, and clapping...

Early circular stepping routines reflect the influence of pattin juba as well as another early African American dance, the ring shout, which still exists in small areas of the South...

Although ring shouts were part of black religious services, they also occurred in secular contests-in schools and homes and among black soldiers-and were very popular with adults as well as children."

Page 87

"Groups frequently enter [the step show stage] to popular music, often performing what black fraternities and sororities label “party walks” and what Latino Greek organizations call “strolls”. [Jacqui] Malone defines a party walk as an ‘organized line movement performed around the floor at a party.” Party walks and strolls may or may not include the characteristic stomping and clapping of stepping, but they are performed to music."

Page 113

"Although the words [of chants performed by Latino Greek-letter organizations] conveyed Latino identity, the stepping differed little in style from that of black Greeks. In contrast, the Latino groups performed their strolls or party walks to popular Latino music and with many Latino dance movements from the salsa, rumba, and merengue."

Page 162

“Stepping in Omega Psi Phi fraternity may have been influenced by the lindy hop. According to Stephon D. Henderson (interview 25 May 1995), stepping began “at the Rho Chi chapter at Tennessee State –anywhere between 1941 and 1956” and was called “hopping” here. Brothers at Tennesee State and in that middle Tennessee area still refer to it as hopping, because it was first referred to as hopping.” A photograph captioned the “Omega Bop” in the 1969 Bison (221) shows Omega brothers standing on their right legs and kicking to the side in a movement reminiscent of the kicks done in the lindy hop... Rouverol (“ 'Hot’, ‘Coo;’ and ‘Getting Down’”, 100) observes that the emphasis on unity, precision, and competition in tap, buck and wing, and chorus–line dancing “may have influenced stepping as we know it today”. Other possible influences, she notes, “include cakewalking, and in recent years, even cheerleading and party walks”.
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Notice the quote from Elizabeth C. Fine's book SoulStepping: African American Step Shows (University of Illinois Press, 2003, page 87 [that fraternity and sorority] "Groups frequently enter [the step show stage] to popular music, often performing what black fraternities and sororities label “party walks” and what Latino Greek organizations call “strolls”.
-end of quote-

I'd love to have more documentation about whether the term "strolls" came from Latino Greek organizations, but aside for that, I think that it's important to recognize that strolling to R&B/Hip Hop music has been a part of historically Black Greek letter step shows for some time (since at least the 1980s?) when the groups enter the stage and when they leave the stage.

With regard to what American cultural practices that influenced fraternity/sorority stepping, in addition to the ring shout, and pattin Juba, I believe that two other 19th century dance forms -the cakewalk and the Grand March- should also be considered as early influences on the performance arts now known as stepping and stroll offs.

I also believe that the walkabout dance also influenced what is now known as fraternity & sorority stepping and stroll offs. "Walkabouts" also became part of the Chicago dancing known as the Bop and now known as Chicago Stepping. In the 19th century walkabouts -with its cakewalk dance- were lifted from African American dancing and used as a part of blackfaced minstrel shows.

I also believe that the popularity of the 1924 African American Ragtime song "Strut Miss Lizzie" and its resulting dances as well as other "strut", "walk" and "hop" dances such as The Lindy Hop, The Camel Walk also significantly contributed to historically Black Greek letter[ed] organizations' stepping and strolling.

Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2012/02/cakewalk-grand-march-usa-canada.html for a pancocojams post on the 19th century African American originated dances called the cakewalk and "The Grand March". That posts also includes film clips of that dance.

Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2013/05/african-american-ring-shouts-origins.html for a pancocojams post on "ring shouts".

Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2015/04/strut-miss-lizzie-information-lyrics.html for a pancocojams post on "Strut Miss Lizzie".

And click http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walkaround for a Wikipedia article about the minstrel show walkarounds.

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EXCERPT #2: From African American Fraternities and Sororities: The Legacy and the Vision edited by Tamara Brown

Google Books, p 327-329
"The military has played a large part in the formation and continuation of BGLO chants and steps. One might even say that the performance behaviors of both the military and BGLOs exist in a type of symbiotic relationship.... As a result of blacks entering the military before, during, and after attending college, one find BGLO behavior in the military, and military behavior in BGLO system.

The brothers of Omega Psi Phi with their paramilitary garb, trace stepping back to the military influence of the 1900s. Ex-soldiers attending college would incorporate marches and drills into their BGLO performance…Shannon Rawls of Kappa Alpha Psi elaborated: “Members of black organizations, brothers of Kappa Alpha Psi, Omega Psi Phi...who went to the military for World War II in the late ’30s and early ‘40s would come back home and incorporate some of the same cadence and military style back into....the stepping style, or into the dancing style that they did.”

Stepping during that early period was called lining, descriptive of the formation in which soldiers march. Some Omegas and other BGKO members still refer to stepping as marching on account of this early military influence.

This military behavior is further observed in the clothing, stance, and marching of BGLO members. Part of the basic working military wardrobe consists of camouflage pants, or fatigues, and combat boots. These garments, though found in all fraternities, are especially prevalent in brothers of Omega Psi Phi..."
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"BGLO" = Black Greek letter[ed] Organizations

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EXCERPT #3
From http://students.washington.edu/pbskl/step.htm
"The history of Stepping according to the Temple of Blue [Phi Beta Sigma]
SOURCES:
Brother Terrence A.B. Lewis

Brother Ahab El'Askeni
..."Other elements of stepping formed after the return of brothers from World War II. Various elements of military marching and line formations were implemented into fraternities with the end of the war and the advent of peace time. This, along with the founders influence, are some of the origins for the use of the cane by Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc. in many regions. To this day the military influence as well as Masonic influences can still be seen in the step process as well as the pledge process of most Black Greek Lettered Organizations. It is through these and many other factors that stepping began to become an intimate part of Black Greek Lettered Organizations...

For Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, in many regions, canes were used due, in part, to the influence of the founders, but for the most part by the military drill sergants who were members. In the late 40's and early 50's, for the purpose of identification, many black drill sergants carried canes. These canes allowed other black soldiers to identify with their rank, which was neccessary on many bases where racism was prevalent. Of course there were some drill sergants that were members of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc. as well as Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. and it is possible that these were some of the influences for using canes as a part of the step process."
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Excerpt #2 and #3 were included in the 2013 pancocojams post entitled "Military Influences On Fraternity & Sorority Steppin".http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2013/11/military-influences-on-fraternity.html

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EXCERPT #4
From https://alphaphigamma.org/an-incredibly-brief-history-of-strolling-being-a-multicultural-greek/ "An Incredibly Brief History of Strolling: Being A Multicultural Greek"
posted on 2.26.20 by Alpha Phi Gamma
"Strolling is a visual representation of the bond that ties together members of an organization in a fashion close to stepping and sometimes even closer to modern dancing. Designed to show off African American culture and African roots, strolling is a longstanding tradition of multicultural Greeks. Beginning with (and mostly accredited to) Alpha Kappa Alpha’s original stroll from the 1920s and ending with now hundreds of Greeks who stroll today, ladies of burgundy and creme have the incredible privilege of being able to openly and safely love their letters through the art of stroll. The roots of stroll are unity, culture, community, and love. All things that we know and all things infused in our letters.

There is a larger issue at hand, though. Stepping and strolling are not Asian American traditions. They were adopted by other multicultural organizations from the Divine 9 through observing and sometimes, regrettably, stealing. When we celebrate our own culture(s) through step and stroll we should not only give homage to our letters and our roots but to the roots of strolling itself. As a fellow multicultural organization, we should not ignore its historical, social, and cultural importance. We can not ignore that strolling is now a popularized show of camaraderie that was given to us. As such, we should actively acknowledge its roots. In order to do this, let’s dive a bit deeper into the history of strolling.

As previously mentioned before, stepping and strolling in its modern sense are attributed to Alpha Kappa Alpha and the Black Greek Letter Organizations (Divine 9) from the early 1900s. It has strong roots in South African culture with more specific ties to Gumboot dancing. In this way, strolling was meant to showcase African culture to other organizations and on campuses that were incredibly racist. It was a performance of pride and unity. Stepping and strolling were also essential to the Divine 9 new member process. As the final step, a prospective new member would march with their class/line around campus chanting, reciting poems, dancing, and stepping in something known as a “Death March” but is modernly interpreted as a “probate”. Strolling and stepping in these cases were more than just the presentation of a new class, it is an educational tradition.”…
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I added italics to highlight these sentences.
 
There's a lot to unpack in that excerpt. Here are my notes about that excerpt-given in no particular order...

I believe that it's important to note that Alpha Phi Gamma is an Asian interest sorority that was founded in 1994. That fact may mean that Alpha Phi Gamma doesn't have direct access to the history of Black Greek letter fraternities and sororities.  

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I've come across the statement attributed to Alpha Phi Gamma that Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority was the first organization to stroll in 1920 in several other online articles since this article was written in 2020. Each time I've read that statement it was given as a matter of fact without any citation. Furthermore, I've not come across the statement tanywhere else that Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. was the first Black Greek Letter Organization to start stepping or strolling. 

I'm interested in knowing how the representative of Alpha Phi Gamma Sorority who wrote that article arrived at this conclusion. And- as an inactive member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. I know that its not accurate because everything I've read indicates that a historically Black Greek letter fraternity was the first to stroll and to step (or hop/bop). And I don't know whether that was Alpha Alpha Psi, Fraternity, Omega Psi Phi, Fraternity, Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, or Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity. (I know it wasn't Iota Theta Phi, Fratenity since it wasn't founded until 1963). 

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Historically Black fraternity/sorority "death marches" (probate marches) are quite different from fraternity/sorority "strolls" (i.e. who performs them and how they are performed). Even a cursory review of YouTube videos of historically Black Greek letter death marches (probate shows) and of historically Black fraternity and sorority strolls support this position.

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I believe that the statement that gumboot dancing was the source of or the primary source of historically Black (African American) Greek letter stepping comes in part from the similarities between these two movement arts as well as the desire that afrocentric African Americans' had in the 1980s, 1990s, and on to promote the ties that Black Americans had and still have with Africa as our Motherland. For example, read this comment that I happened upon in this discussion thread for a YouTube video on the history of South African Gumboot dancing.

The Noice Channel, 2013, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=poxeApDNlGw
“Where African American fraternity and sorority collegiate step shows were undoubtedly rooted from. It all traces back to the motherland!”

-end of quote-
I strongly believe that the ubiquitous statement that hisorically Black Greek letter fraternity and sorority stepping came from South African gumboot dancing is an urban legend. There's no doubt that there are some similarities between stepping and gumboot dancing. However, notice that no one ever cites sources for this belief that stepping comes from gumboot dancing. Also, I've not come across any explanations of how, when, and where Black Americans became so familiar with South African gumboot dancing that we adapted it to form stepping. (That said, in the late 19th century and the early 20th century Black American minstrel groups and White blackface minstrels performed in South Africa and some South Africans traveled to the United States and studied in some historically Black colleges and universities.)

I'm not saying that South African gumboot dancing had no influence upon BGLO steppin. However, there were other "home grown" influences that have consistently been overlooked because South African boot dancing appears to be so similar to some forms of BGLO steppin. Gumboot dancing originated in South Africa in the 1950s. Historically Black Greek letter stepping could have started before that date (and members of BGLOs  "marching in line" which became strolling definitely started before the 1950s).

Here's a comment about gumboot dancing and historically Black Greek letter fraternity/sorority stepping that I fully agree with:
R’illest Talk, 2020, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dZgFJVSaKUk The History of Gumboot Dancing : A South African Story (Full Video)
"Sorry, but Gumboot miners are not the originators of our collegiate stepping routines. The boot company itself wasn’t created until after WWII which were later issued to laborers/workers worldwide. It is actually the gumboot dancers of late who have learned and incorporated our Black American chants and US military-inspired moves. Combined with military drills due to the many black veterans returning home from service and later enrolling in HBCUs, we started stomping and strolling in the early-1900s on HBCU campuses. Some say we started similar steps during slavery.

The early-gumboot workers started their basic stepping ritual as a form of communication in the 1950s only after receiving their boots from a newly-created European boot company. South Africans and the world have taken a few old black-n-white photos of the miners during the 50s as being from the late-1800s or early-1900s which is not true. We as black Americans have been so desperate for African national inclusion and acceptance that we’ve lied and given away both our credits and creations in exchange for a false sense of validation and authenticity. Now current-day Africans are running with the lies as factual. #FBA"
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Speaking of South African influences on a form of stepping, I believe that what is known as "the python dance" definitely influenced certain probate line formations/dances that performed by historically Black Greek letter sororities (and fraternities?) Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2013/01/similarities-between-venda-python-dance_7.html for a pancocojams post about the "Similarities Between The Venda Python Dance & Black Sororities Probate Line Formations". The Venda python dance is a South African traditional dance.

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